Our interdisciplinary team is made up of planning, evaluation, and public engagement specialists. Click on a team member to learn more about them and to get in touch, or email bchc@bchealthycommunities.ca and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Executive Director – Vacant
Gurmeet Sall, People & Culture Specialist
gurmeet@bchealthycommunities.ca | 778.404.7773
As BCHC’s People and Culture Specialist, Gurmeet brings extensive knowledge and human resource experience from her 20 plus years of working in the provincial government. Her passion and expertise in human resources translates to a strengthened organizational culture and a supported group of staff members. Working with the Executive Director on HR and operational requirements for the organization, Gurmeet aligns the organization’s HR functions and strategies to support BCHC’s business priorities, and plans. She has a steadfast commitment to shaping a more engaged and unified organizational culture.
In her spare time, Gurmeet enjoys walking and spending time with her family and friends.
Stephanie Neilson, Evaluation Lead
stephanie@bchealthycommunities.ca | 778.404.0941
Stephanie brings a passion for local knowledge, context and experience to her work in evaluation. She believes healthy communities begin with people’s relationship to their environment, and that intentional planning, design, strategies, monitoring and evaluation help foster the changes communities strive for.
Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Development and a Masters in Rural Planning and Development from the University of Guelph. Stephanie has worked in both Canada and overseas and her over 10 years of evaluation and research experience includes projects that examine how research influences policy, capacity building, gender, health, and environment and resource management.
Alyssa Roehrich, Age-friendly Communities Program Lead
alyssa@bchealthycommunities.ca
Alyssa holds a Master’s of Science in Kinesiology and a Bachelor of Arts in Recreation and Health Education from the University of Victoria. Her research area encompasses adolescent smartphone addiction and its impacts on well-being. Alyssa is passionate about supporting others to make healthy lifestyle choices and bettering the community through working with BCHC. When she is not in the office, you will find her participating in various outdoor activities and attending concerts by her favourite artists.
Stacy Chappel, Grants & Engagement Coordinator
stacy@bchealthycommunities.ca | 778.404.0510
Stacy is passionate about community-led initiatives to build justice and sustainable communities. She has 25 years’ experience working for community non-profits. She served as a grant adjudicator for BC’s Community Gaming Grants program and manager for the UVic Graduate Students’ Society and VIPIRG. She volunteers with Capital City Fencers’ Club and her local refugee sponsorship group.
Stacy holds a Masters in Community Development. Her research focused on co-operatives and she is committed to democratic and inclusive governance. Stacy owes a debt to friends and colleagues who guided her learning about social justice and community-based research. She credits her high school drama teacher for instilling her belief in the power of humour and a good yarn.
Stacy enjoys theatre, sewing, cycling and fencing.
Connie Allsopp, PlanH Delivery Lead
Connie D. M. Allsopp, Ph.D., is our delivery lead for Plan H at BCHC. She also works as a strategic business/education consultant in private practice and was a former supervisor/ instructor at the University of Victoria, B.C. Canada. Dr. Allsopp holds a B. Ed. In Education, a M.Ed. in Administration with several Business courses, and a Ph.D. in Leadership with a cognate in Public Administration from the University of Manitoba. In 2012 she completed a Post Doctorate in Program Evaluation researching fear and anxiety for the BC Government and University of Victoria. She holds both certification and training as a BC teacher and ICA Facilitator.
Connie has over thirty years of practical experience in the field of teaching, consulting and school leadership while concurrently working as an entrepreneur in multiple businesses. More recently, she serves on the review boards of the Journal of School Leadership, and Journal of Case Research. She has authored/coauthored articles and business cases along with their respective instructor teaching manuals. In 2016, Connie gave talks in China on the STEM curriculum, in 2013 she helped construct a public school in Mexico, and in 2007 served on a medical team in Dominican Republic. Locally in B.C. she launched a not-for-profit dental clinic for children and youth then worked in a family style dental clinic serving families living in the margins. Her research focus has been on leadership, knowledge mobilization, entrepreneurship, strategic planning, project management, and program evaluation. Contact her at connie@bchealthycommunities.ca.
Monica DeVidi, Research and Planning Analyst
monica@bchealthycommunities.ca
Monica graduated from the Master of Planning program at Dalhousie University after finishing her Bachelor of Arts in Geography and Environmental Studies at Queen’s University. Now residing in Victoria, she is motivated to work towards equitable and sustainable communities as BCHC’s Research and Planning Analyst.
Her past research has focused on social and structural determinants of health, food sovereignty, healthy built environments, community-based engagement, as well as environmental justice, coastal climate adaptation, and marine spatial planning. Outside the office, Monica enjoys hiking, camping, and trying out new recipes.
Patrick Dunne, Communications Lead
Patrick has over 20 years experience working in communications and media. Prior to joining BC Healthy Communities, Patrick was an editor at Postmedia Network where he edited and organized the production of national, international and business sections for the National Post, Ottawa Citizen and other leading daily newspapers across Canada. Before Postmedia, he was managing editor for Asia Times, a news and analysis website based in Bangkok.
Patrick has also worked as a marketing and communications advisor for the University of Calgary and spent six years producing annual reports and other marketing materials for Canadian and international companies in the mining and finance industries. Patrick started his career as a journalist and has worked for the South China Morning Post, Hong Kong Standard, Vancouver Sun and a variety of trade and business publications.